This post is all about 17 genius student teaching tips 2023 that you need to know!
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Related Post: 17 Student Teaching Essentials That Will Change Your Life!
First off, congratulations on being ready to student teach! I know how much work goes into getting to that point, and I am so proud of you!
I just graduated from a university in Rhode Island where I received a bachelors of science degree in Elementary and Special Education. Because I was dual certified, I got to student teach for two semesters (a whole school year).
My two semesters of student teaching taught me all of the BEST tips and tricks that really do make a big difference!
I hope this post inspires you to be the best student teacher you can be! You’re going into such an important field and you’re truly going to make a difference in your students’ lives.
You got this!
17 Genius Student Teaching Tips 2023 That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier
1. Breathe: 🙂
I know this one sounds obvious, but before both of my student teaching placements, I was excited but also nervous.
It’s always nerve racking starting something new, but often so rewarding! There will be times when you’re student teaching and it feels like your class of 20+ students are coming up to you all at once to ask a question you have already answered (or something silly like that).
In those moments just take a deep breath and remember why you’re going into education. My roommate and I love Little Words bracelets so much that we actually started to make our own. I made one that says Breathe because it’s one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs.
It actually ended up helping me so much at school. I would look down at my wrist, take a deep breath, and be able to go on more positively with my day.
I remember when I was ending my first student teaching placement, and getting ready to start my second at a completely new school, with new coworkers, and new students.
My first school was so comfortable to me and I didn’t want to leave. One of my students asked me, “Were you nervous when you started here?”
I told him yes but was very lucky that they were so welcoming of me. That made me think a lot because here I was sitting with one of my students who I cared so much for. Four months ago I didn’t even know him, and I was nervous to begin student teaching at his school.
It just reminded me that at my new school there was going to be another group of students who I didn’t know yet, but soon would love and not want to leave.
This made me feel a lot more comfortable and ready. So just remember that you’re going to meet some amazing students during student teaching who you won’t be able to imagine your life without.
You’re going to be more than okay. Just take a deep breath and try your best! 🙂
2. Invest in some student teaching wardrobe items:
I promise investing in a capsule wardrobe for student teaching is one of the most helpful things ever! You’re going to be waking up early and if you’re like me (not a morning person), the last thing I want to do is pick out a professional outfit.
I totally get that you’re in college and don’t have money for a new wardrobe. All you need are the essentials. Once you find 1-2 pairs of black dress pants, a couple blouses, cardigans, dresses and black flats (and boots for the winter), you’re golden!
I had the most luck with finding black dress pants from Marshalls or TJ Maxx.
I also recommend laying out your outfit the night before because you will probably be too tired to put it together in the morning, unless you know you’re a morning person.
3. Have a student teaching binder, notebook, or folders:
This really depends on your preference and your placement. For my special education placement I kept a binder full of important papers that my clinical educator gave me.
I also kept a pencil pouch with pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc in my binder in case my students needed them while they were in class.
During my general education placement, I was eventually in charge of teaching math, reading, writing, science, and social studies.
I kept multiple folders for each of the different subjects that I taught as well as a “Daily” folder for papers that apply to every day. A bigger binder would have worked but I’ve always preferred individual folders.
I also kept a page of notes where I wrote down everything my clinical educator did with her students that I would eventually want to do with them too when I took over. This was super helpful and I will always keep these notes!
Once you start teaching, you will definitely figure out what organizational system works best for you!
4. Use your planner:
I can not recommend this one enough! Even if you use an online planner or your notes app, writing down what you have to do for each subject is critical.
Your clinical educator is depending on you and it’s super important that you deliver on anything you say you will do or any tasks you’re given.
I am the first person to say to myself, “oh I don’t have to write that down, I’ll remember.” But guess what, sometimes you just forget. We’re all human so just write it down.
You’ll be so happy you did in the long run!
I used the daily blue sky planner last year and it was great! I really like that they are cute and small so they easily fit in my backpack.
5. Say hello to everyone you meet (every interaction is important!)
I know it might be hard to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed every morning, but it’s super important that you build positive connections/impressions with everyone you meet.
You never know who is important or who knows who. Say hi to all of the secretaries, and use their names. I always feel good when someone uses my name to say hello to me.
Say hi to any teachers you pass on your way to your classroom. Ask them about their weekend, night, how they are… Anything to build a positive relationship. Say hi to the janitors, lunch room staff, hall monitors, etc.
If you’re a little shy, no worries! A smile and wave can go a long way. You just want anyone who comes in contact with you to think, “wow, they are really nice!”
My professors said every time you step into a school, “It’s like a job interview. Dress professionally, smile, be punctual, responsible, and positive!”
I know it seems overwhelming, but you’re totally capable of this and it really does impact how others will view you.
6. Set multiple alarms:
Part of student teaching is showing that you’re professional and a big part of that is showing up on time.
I know it can be hard to wake up early but you can totally do it!
If you’re a snoozer like I am, definitely set multiple alarms so that there is no chance you’ll miss them.
7. Try to have a consistent bedtime:
This is probably the tip I failed the most with, but I did try. I always had better days when I kept a more consistent bedtime.
It’s hard though because at night I always wanted to hang out with my friends, so you definitely have to weigh the pros and cons and decide what is best for you.
Student teaching is tiring and you want to be the best version of yourself for your students, so trying to get enough sleep will definitely help!
8. Eat a healthy breakfast:
I NEED breakfast to get through the morning. I get so cranky and my stomach grumbles if I don’t eat breakfast.
It gives me more energy to get through my day as well. I like to eat eggs (scrambled or hard boiled) and tomatoes in the morning.
Sometimes I have some toast or yogurt and granola too. I promise eating something in the morning will make your day better!
9. Keep emergency snacks and utensils in your bag:
There were a couple days where I forgot my lunch and I had to borrow snacks from my friends that were teaching at the same school as me.
I definitely recommend keeping some granola bars, chips, etc. in your backpack so that you’re always prepared.
Also keep some plastic utensils in case you forget them one day.
10. Keep a bag of essentials in your backpack:
I found it really useful to keep a zip up pouch full of advil, tampons, pads, hair ties, a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, gum and a small deodorant.
I promise these items will eventually come in handy!!
11. Try to meal prep a little:
One of my least favorite things to do after school was to make my lunch for the following day.
I was already tired and just wanted to sit on the couch haha. Because I love eating salads for lunch, I started to make a big container of my salad toppings on Sundays.
I bought this veggie chopper from Amazon and it makes this process SO much easier!! I can’t recommend this product enough, I use it all the time!
Basically I chopped cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, bell peppers up and put them in a big bowl. Then I poured in a can of black beans and corn.
I was able to keep it in the fridge all week. That way all I had to do every day after school was cut up my lettuce and add a couple spoonfuls of my mixture to the top.
It was delicious!! I definitely recommend meal prepping of some sort during the weekend so you don’t have to do it all during the week when you’re more tired.
12. Write down your students birthdays and interests:
One of the best ways to build a positive relationship with your students is to show them that you truly care about them, not only inside school, but outside as well.
I did my best to try to ask my students about their extracurriculars, weekends, and anything else I knew they liked to talk about.
I also write down all of my students’ birthdays so that I can wish them a happy birthday!!
13. Don’t be afraid of constructive feedback:
I know it’s not always fun to get constructive feedback but you are student teaching to learn.
The staff in the building have most likely been working for a lot of years and have so much experience that you just don’t have yet.
Their experience gives them knowledge on what will work, what won’t, and how to improve lessons.
Don’t run from constructive feedback. Instead use it to your advantage to become the best teacher you can be!
14: Use a big backpack:
My roommate who majored in education as well got me this awesome backpack for my birthday that I used for student teaching. It is cute and works super well!
You will definitely want a backpack to keep your laptop, folders and/or binder.
15: Bounce ideas off friends in your major. Don’t be afraid to talk about the good and the bad:
Every Monday afternoon all of the student teachers from my university would meet with all of the professors for a seminar class.
This was a really nice time to debrief and talk about our student teaching highs and lows.
We were able to ask each other for advice and sometimes other people were dealing with a similar situation so it was nice to know that you were not alone.
Your professors are also really good to talk to because they have a lot of experience and often good ideas to try!
16: Base your objectives off the standards:
Always always start with the standards to form your objectives.
This would make my lesson plan A LOT easier to write because I knew my objective and whole lesson were aligned with the standards.
17: Be positive and soak up everything!!
Student teaching is SUCH an educational time in your life. You’re not fully in charge of everything so you don’t have all the responsibilities of the real teacher.
This gives you the opportunity to really observe your clinical educator and soak up everything!
How do they interact with their students? What language do they use with their students? What is their classroom management style? How do they get their students’ attention? Do they transition between subjects in a certain way? How do they build positive relationships with their students and families? And so so so many more great questions to look for.
I definitely recommend writing all the answers to these questions down so that you don’t forget and can incorporate them into your teaching when you take over.
Also, please don’t let your bad days discourage you. Student teaching is a lot of work, and some days you might leave contemplating something you said, or how you handled a situation, or just with a feeling of defeat.
Please just know that we ALL experience those moments and they only make us stronger!
I just know you’re going to be an AMAZING student teacher and your kiddos are going to be SO lucky to have you!!
If you ever have any questions, please feel free to email me at emily@positivityispretty.com
I love chatting with you guys! Good luck, you totally got this!!
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